Barcelona fans react as ex-Tottenham Hotspur man Paulinho scores

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho was the hero for Barcelona on Saturday.

The Brazilian came off the bench to rescue all three points for his new club by snatching an 84th-minute winner in the 2-1 win away to Getafe.

The hosts had led 1-0 at the break through Gaku Shibasaki, before Denis Suarez equalised midway through the second half.

In truth, Barcelona raised more than a few eyebrows with their decision to sign the 29-year-old, who left Tottenham for Guangzhou Evergrande in China two years ago.

Spurs fans were among the most surprised by virtue of the fact that Paulinho hardly justified the £25 million which was spent on him by chairman Daniel Levy in 2013.

As a result, many labellled him a "Tottenham reject" upon joining Ernesto Valverde's this side this past summer - comments which Barcelona fans are now using against the Lilywhites' fanbase it appears.

Shane Callaghan

Shane is a Dublin-based sports writer who swapped the football pitch for the press box upon learning that he was better with a pen than with a round bit of leather. Prior to joining HITC, Shane enjoyed spells with Sports Mole and Goal.com among others, while he was also club reporter for Irish football club Drogheda United.